Music-leaf turner.



B. E. DOWNBS'.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER- APPLIOATION FILED MAY 15,1908.

905,41 2. Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

INVENTOR 15727122 17. l70wnes ATTORN-EY 3 ms NORRIS PETERS 5a., WASHINGTON, n. cy

ELMER E. DOWNES, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Application filed May 14, 1908. Serial No. 432,958.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER E. Dowxns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of 1V aterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in music leaf turners and is designed to be supported upon the book rest of a piano or upon any suitable or special music stand, and belongs to the class of music leaf turners which include a series of arms bearing fingers arranged between the leaves and adapted to be tripped by the player, in a manner to quickly turn the successive leaves as desired.

The object of the invention is to design a reliable and eflicient music leaf turner which may be produced at a low cost of manufacture; and may be quickly and conveniently operated to turn a leaf and further to generally simplify and improve its construction.

Upon the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification similar characters of reference denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures and of which,

Figure 1, shows a front elevation of my improved music leaf turner complete, with a sheet of music represented therein by dotted lines. Fig. 2, is a side edge view as seen from the right of Fig. 1, and Fig. 8, is a bottom plan of the holder as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon the drawings 5 indicates a lower base plate and 6 an upper plate. 7 spacing blocks between the plate.

8 represents suitable feet or rests which would he formed of some soft material, as

for instance rubber and are attached to un dersidc of lower base plate. These feet are each preferably arranged in line with one of the before mentioned spacing blocks 7, and a screw 9 passes up through each rest, block and the plates in a way to secure them together. A pair of soft lugs 10 are secured to the back of top plate 6 to prevent the device from marring or scratching a piano if set thereagainst. A pivotal screw 11 is located in the middle of the two plates and extends from one to the other and upon the pivot is hung a series of arms 12 and 12 each of which are provided with springs 13 wound around the stud with one end attached to the arm and the other secured to the plate so as to exert a pressure upon the said arms to throw them around to the left as shown by 12 in Figs. 1 and 2. Each arm is provided with a depending pin 1% that extends down through an opening 15 in lower plate when the arms are brought around to the right as shown by 12 in Fig. l, and are each held set in that position by a lever 16 pivoted to the base and bearing a hook 17 to engage the said pins. These levers are each connected to be operated by a push button 18 that is provided with a spring 19 which tends to hold the said but tons in an extended position and the said lever 16 in engagement with the pin. The lower plate is further provided with a second opening 20, upon the left side as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, which also serves to accommodate the before mentoined pins.

Upon the outer top portion of each arm 12 and 12 is secured a post 21 to which a vertically disposed wire 22 is pivotally connected. A fiat spring 23 is secured to the side of each of the said posts in a manner to engage the face of a leaf of music and to clamp the. same intermediate thereof and the said wire in order to insure the carrying of the same with the throw of the arm when released.

A pair of spaced posts 24 are secured to the top plate 6, midway of its length and above the pivotal point of the levers, and serves as a holder for the crown of the back of the music. Upon each of the outer end portions of the top plate 6 is secured a vertically disposed spring clamp 26 between which the outer portions of the back and such of the leaves of the book of music as are not being used can be secured, while the remaining leaves that are to be used and turned are each arranged between one of the before mentioned wires 22 and springs 23 which are carried by the respective arms 12 and 12 It will be apparent that each of the arms 12 and 12 serve for a single leaf, and that the machine as illustrated can operate but two leaves, thus exhibiting to the player six pages of music which are made conveniently accessible. A. greater number of arms can however be added to a machine of the above construction if desired to increase its capacity, by hinging them upon the stud in the same way as arms 12 and 12 with separate operating mechanism for each arm that would be substantially duplicates of that shown.

In operating my improved music leaf turner the same would be first seated upon a piano or other suitable place, with the back ofa book and idle leaves supported upon the top plate and intermediate the supports 24 and 26, with the leaves to be turned secured between the wire 22 and spring 23 upon the arms 12 and 12 which in turn are swung around to the right and engaged by the pawls of the lever 16. With the parts in this position the leaves atached to the respective arms can readily be thrown by first pushing the inner button to release the arm 12* and then the outer button to release the lower arm 12.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A music leaf turner comprising a pair of spaced and horizontally disposed base plates having recesses in their front edges to acof the said arms and a clamping spring to hold the music leaves against the wires, a holding device secured to the underside of the bottom plate to engage the pins of the arms against the action of the springs, and means for releasing the said holding devices to permit the springs to throw the arms and turn the leaves. 4

Signed at aterbury, in the county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut this 7th day of May, A. D. 1908.

ELMER E. DOWNES. Witnesses:

M. J. BYRNE,

J. H. HOLREN. 

